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» A Comparative Study of the Patterns of Care, Comorbidities and Quality of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous People With Cancer

A Comparative Study of the Patterns of Care, Comorbidities and Quality of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous People With Cancer

Reach:

QLD

Focus area:

Indigenous

Status:

Completed

Evaluated:

No

Time frame:

1 January 2011 - 1 December 2013

Overview

Despite a similar incidence of cancers, Indigenous Australians have higher mortality rates and poorer survival compared to other Australians. The reasons for this are multi-faceted and may be due to later cancer stage at diagnosis, reduced uptake of or access to treatment, increased comorbidities, and higher rates of more aggressive cancers, however, little is known about these.

This study was a research project being conducted by the Menzies School of Health Research.The aim of the study was to investigate the patterns of care, quality of life, and comorbidities in Indigenous people with cancers and compare them with non-Indigenous cancer patients, and against clinical guidelines.

Findings from the medical chart review work suggest that treatment, comorbidities and stage at diagnosis explain most of the poorer cancer outcomes among Indigenous patients. There is a need for a greater understanding of the reasons for delays in diagnosis, and to explain why less cancer treatments are provided (reduced uptake or access to treatment, or this is confounded by un/measured comorbidity). The effect of comorbidity on survival differences need to be fully quantified.